MacWorld in Perspective: the consumer show
This MacWorld was indeed the "consumer show" -- with very significant updates across the line of Apple's consumer products (both hardware and software).
Personally, I found the Apple announcements to be very exciting. I was most impressed by the solution-based products (hardware and software) that Apple now offers. I actually think that iPhoto, combined with the rest of the digital hub apps such as iTunes and iMovie, was the most significant announcement of the show.
There will be quite a few people buying Macs because of how easy it is to use their photos, mp3s, video cameras, etc. right out of the box. It is a wonderful solution that takes perfect aim at your average computer user. It doesn't have the sex appeal that hardcore geeks are after, but then again, the mass market isn't about hardcore geeks anyway.
Of course, the iMacs are very cool too -- and not just the offbeat design or inclusion of an LCD monitor. The system specs on those puppies are quite nice, from the graphics card to the 800mhz G4, to the plethora of built-in ports, down to the availability of a CD/DVD RW "SuperDrive". Very cool stuff, I can see consumers, and even some businesses being very interested in these. I know we are.
Also the 14" iBook is a killer product -- it answers my one complaint about the iBook, and that is the size of the screen. I actually prefer the iBook to the PowerBook G4, because I use it for light-duty tasks, and the protective shell is a very nice thing -- I can just toss it in my backpacke. Now that there is a larger screen available for it, giddyup!
And to the whiners who are disappointed because there was no G5? No one who knows the industry thought there would be a G5 available at MacWorld -- but of course, that doesn't stop the rumours from flying. I'm sure there will be a speed bump "media event" (or perhaps at MacWorld/Tokyo in March) for the Pro machines soon, because the iBook and iMac are now uncomfortably close in spec and performance to the "Pro" line.
Regardless of the disappointment about there not being a speed bump to the Pro line (yes, I too was disappointed -- I expected slight speed bumps to them, with major revisions late in the year), the announcements today really were as significant as Apple said they were. To Apple and to the consumer market, anyway. I really do think it lived up to the hype -- but for propeller heads, of course it was a disappointment.
I'm sure we'll hear people whining as we did for the original iMac ("What, no floppy drive and a small screen?? This thing sucks!"), and the iMac will go on to sell extremely well, just as its predecessor did. All in all, some really cool new stuff. Nice job, Apple.
[ 01-07-2002: Message edited by: moki ]</p>
Personally, I found the Apple announcements to be very exciting. I was most impressed by the solution-based products (hardware and software) that Apple now offers. I actually think that iPhoto, combined with the rest of the digital hub apps such as iTunes and iMovie, was the most significant announcement of the show.
There will be quite a few people buying Macs because of how easy it is to use their photos, mp3s, video cameras, etc. right out of the box. It is a wonderful solution that takes perfect aim at your average computer user. It doesn't have the sex appeal that hardcore geeks are after, but then again, the mass market isn't about hardcore geeks anyway.
Of course, the iMacs are very cool too -- and not just the offbeat design or inclusion of an LCD monitor. The system specs on those puppies are quite nice, from the graphics card to the 800mhz G4, to the plethora of built-in ports, down to the availability of a CD/DVD RW "SuperDrive". Very cool stuff, I can see consumers, and even some businesses being very interested in these. I know we are.
Also the 14" iBook is a killer product -- it answers my one complaint about the iBook, and that is the size of the screen. I actually prefer the iBook to the PowerBook G4, because I use it for light-duty tasks, and the protective shell is a very nice thing -- I can just toss it in my backpacke. Now that there is a larger screen available for it, giddyup!
And to the whiners who are disappointed because there was no G5? No one who knows the industry thought there would be a G5 available at MacWorld -- but of course, that doesn't stop the rumours from flying. I'm sure there will be a speed bump "media event" (or perhaps at MacWorld/Tokyo in March) for the Pro machines soon, because the iBook and iMac are now uncomfortably close in spec and performance to the "Pro" line.
Regardless of the disappointment about there not being a speed bump to the Pro line (yes, I too was disappointed -- I expected slight speed bumps to them, with major revisions late in the year), the announcements today really were as significant as Apple said they were. To Apple and to the consumer market, anyway. I really do think it lived up to the hype -- but for propeller heads, of course it was a disappointment.
I'm sure we'll hear people whining as we did for the original iMac ("What, no floppy drive and a small screen?? This thing sucks!"), and the iMac will go on to sell extremely well, just as its predecessor did. All in all, some really cool new stuff. Nice job, Apple.
[ 01-07-2002: Message edited by: moki ]</p>
Comments
i gotta believe they'll update the powermacs at macworld tokyo. but please, people, stop looking at this as some sort of betrayal by apple towards you personally. of course, we'll never believe the hype again...
?iMac
?iBook
?iPhoto
All consumer. So what does that mean? Obviously that we'll see a Pro event soon (we have to considering the current PM lineup compared to the new iMacs). I expect that the new PM & PB will be unvailed by Feb. 1, perhpas sooner.
It looks like the Apollos just weren't ready. Apple really needs to change strategies with Motorola's chips.
Macs have to be better in every single way compared to Wintels, including being FASTER. Now, the fastest, most expensive Mac chips (867 G4) are probably slower than the low-end budget Wintel/AMD chips.
Hopefully that will change soon.
<strong> but please, people, stop looking at this as some sort of betrayal by apple towards you personally. of course, we'll never believe the hype again...
I dunno, I guess I disagree. I don't think you can fine a machine even close to the iMac on the PC side when it comes to an elegant, one-stop solution for so many consumer-oriented tasks that people do with computers.
I think they've done a bang-up job, one that lives up to all of the hype, both for Apple (given how significant the iMac is to them) and for the consumer market.
Of course, those folks who are in the high-end are disappointed, but you need to clarity of vision to see that what is significant for *you* may not be what is most significant for Apple, or the public at large.
It's all good stuff that they've announced -- I'm sure the iMacs with their software bundle will entice more than a few people who would normally have gotten a PC.
For the "Pro" folks out there, you can be pretty sure than a speed bump is coming soon, not a big deal. It looks like they wanted this show to be focused on consumer products.
This makes a *lot* of sense.
Why bump the PowerMac now if it's just going to get redone in less than a month- and a SERIOUS redo, at that.
The iMac is similar to the PBG4 intro last year: new case, same old mobo. Only this time, new chip and GPU. I'd bet on a 133 mhz bus, AGP4X iMac coming at MWNY- or perhaps Paris.
Apple's getting my 1799 bucks.
<strong>
Why bump the PowerMac now if it's just going to get redone in less than a month- and a SERIOUS redo, at that.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
I guess this just underlines some of the flaws in Apple's event-driven product cycle. We get dramatic introductions of flashy new products, like the iMac, which is great: the hype and the attention help Apple, and make Macs fun.
The downside is, instead of just consistently driving pricecuts and component revisions out, like Dell does, we have to wait while Apple pads its margins, until they feel like releasing upgrades. And if those upgrades are slower to come [read: Apollo G4, G5], then we REALLY eat it.
I mean, why shouldn't Apple release at least marginally faster machines after 7 months? The only reason not to is to make a bigger splash when they do update. It's a two-edged sword.
<strong>
I mean, why shouldn't Apple release at least marginally faster machines after 7 months? The only reason not to is to make a bigger splash when they do update. It's a two-edged sword.</strong><hr></blockquote>
The obvious answer is both technical and market-driven reasons. It is likely that perhaps whatever Apple has planned next for a Pro speed bump (which, BTW, I do NOT believe will be a G5) wasn't ready. Would you rather marginal speed bumps now, or slightly more significant ones in a few months? I'll take the latter, thanks.
Moreover, Apple wanted to focus on the consumer market at this show, and not dilute their message. It also makes sense to stagger releases somewhat, rather than blowing their load in one fell swoop.
The Pro line will be out soon -- meanwhile the dual 800's continue to be killer machines (as anyone who uses them can attest). I fully expect there will be a media event or expo in the near future that will focus on the "Pro" line.
I think most people are way underestimating the significance of the announcements made today. And so it goes...
[ 01-07-2002: Message edited by: moki ]</p>
Me too! I ordered my 800 MHz iMac as soon as the store let me in. Can't wait.
BTW, I am SO happy I sold my 600 MHz Combo Drive iBook last week. I'm sure I will be getting death threats from the guy very soon.
[quote]I think most people are way underestimating the significance of the announcements made today.<hr></blockquote>
And how.
The new iMac seems fine but suffers like all new- Apple- stuff from overhype and overprice.
To actually make the entry iMac much more expensive than a basic iBook is weird.
Maybe the G4 in the iMac pushes cost, but a consumer Mac at the price of a pro machine?
I'm in doubt it will sell at that price point.
<strong>Maybe the G4 in the iMac pushes cost, but a consumer Mac at the price of a pro machine?
I'm in doubt it will sell at that price point.
C'mon now -- look at the graphics card, processor speed (G4 as well), the assortment of CD drives available, and that it has an LCD screen. The price seems pretty damn nice to me, to be honest. The original iMac was offered initially at this price as well.
I predict it will sell very, very well.
This machine is perfect for Mom too. Toss the iApps, Mail and OW in the Dock, plug in stuff easily (the back of the iMac has *zero* intimidation factor) and you have yourself the most non-computer computer out there.
<strong>Macs have to be better in every single way compared to Wintels, including being FASTER. Now, the fastest, most expensive Mac chips (867 G4) are probably slower than the low-end budget Wintel/AMD chips.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
By the way, you *did* realize the second-fastest chip Apple uses is now in a $1799 *consumer* machine (oh, and add a SuperDrive to that)?
This would have costed you how much one day ago?
Clearly, this MW has been a *very* consumer-oriented show, not only b/c of the iBook and iMac, but because of almost every single product shown (or of what interest might Star Wars Galactic Battlefield to, say, a print-house?).
Bye,
RazzFazz
100Mhz bus, should be 133MHz
1024 max resolution, should have been 1280 (the 12.1 on the iBook can make 1024..)
Apart from that I think it is a wonderful product.... :cool:
Certainly, a P4 at over 2GHz is a faster processor than anything in a Mac. However here's what you can't do on any PC regardless of processor speed:
1) iPhoto - automatically import into a library photos when connecting the digital camera to the computer and then:
\ta) easily organizing those photos
\tb) easily publishing them to the web
\tc) easily ordering prints of any size
\td) easily creating a video out of them
\te) easily removing red-eye
\tf) easily cropping the images for various ratios
\tg) ordering a hard cover book out of the pictures
\th) easily print them without the need for color correction or printer adjustments
2) iMovie - if you haven't seen what this can do you're missing out on a major part of the reason of owning a mac
3) Now, you can make DVDs out of your iMovies - Holy SH!T!!!
4) iTunes for organizing your music and synching it with iPod
5) the beauty and stability of OS X.
I would be delighted if I could accomplish these tasks at 2.2 GHz instead of 800MHz, but know this - No PC user can do this at any speed. Windows does not do any of the above as easily or at all in some cases.
The applications available on the Mac platform and uniquely to consumers is going to ensure apple's viability regardless of processor speed.
I'd also like to point out that with both iPhoto and iDVD, Apple now has new revenue streams from the purchase of prints/photo books and recordable DVDs. This trailing revenue stream is going to be great for Apple financials once the new iMacs start shipping in volume.